Description In 1816, the U.S. Congress decided to give the newly formed State of Indiana four square miles of land to lay out a capital city. Just where the capital city would be platted, however, was unknown. Four years later, the spot was finally chosen near where Fall Creek meets the White River. From that moment forward, despite a few bumps along the way, Indianapolis began its development into one of the nation's great cities. Over the course of that development, many buildings, companies, legends, and people have come and gone. While they are now only shadows of the past, they help to form the history and heart of Indianapolis.